Vinnie and Mandy looked around.
They were in the shipyard.
A group of men were building a Viking ship.
It wasn't as big as the Sleeping Dragon.
Still, the construction was amazing.
Strong men dragged planks of oak wood.
Others carefully carved the wood to shape the frame.
"I remember reading in school about Viking ships," said Vinnie.
"What did you learn?" asked Mandy.
"Vikings were the best shipbuilders and seamen of their time.
Their ships were so fast that nobody could catch them," said Vinnie.
"I caught you!"
Someone grabbed the children from behind.
The children had not heard Gunnar sneaking up on them.
"You scared us, Gunnar," cried Vinnie.
"I thought you were my friends," he said.
"Why did you steal from my master?"
"We didn't," said Mandy.
She explained what happened.
"Oh!" said Gunnar.
"The captain didn't mean to put his bear charm in that box."
A silly mistake had caused all this trouble.
"So, do you have the charm?" Gunnar asked.
Mandy held it out to him.
"We must return it," said Gunnar.
Suddenly the sound of a horn rang loudly through the air.
"The battle horn," Gunnar said excitedly.
"What does that mean?" asked Vinnie.
"It is calling the men to set sail."
Gunnar ran toward the sound.
Vinnie and Mandy followed.
When they got to the harbor, the entire village was there.
All the Viking warriors were hurrying to their ships.
They wore leather helmets and carried wooden shields.
The men swung their swords high in the air.
The battle horn kept blaring.
Old Dirk was watching the ships.
"What's happening?" Gunnar asked.
"New land needs to be conquered," Old Dirk explained.
"All the ships will sail together to fight."
The children searched for the Sleeping Dragon.
"There it is!" Mandy shouted. "Vinnie, the photo!"
Vinnie took the photo out.
It was now glowing blue.
"But what are these round plates?" Vinnie counted.
"There are 16 in the picture."
"Look! They're the Vikings' shields!" Mandy cried.
On both sides of the Sleeping Dragon were round wooden shields.
They marked the places where each Viking warrior sat.
"But I count only 15," said Vinnie.
"I must go," Gunnar said.
"Do not worry about Skull-Crusher.
I will give him the bear charm.
Good-bye, my friends."
He ran to the ship without looking back.
"Gunnar is true to his name," Old Dirk said.
"What does his name mean?" asked Mandy.
"It means 'warrior.'"
Vinnie and Mandy stared at the photo.
The old man was next to a longship.
They looked up at the Sleeping Dragon.
Suddenly one more shield appeared on the ship.
It was Gunnar's!
Now they could see 16.
The glow in the photo turned red.
The children's eyes started to close.
Then they were falling down the dark tunnel again.
"Yow!"
"Hey!"
The children landed in the attic.
It was still dark, but the sun was just about to rise.